Why does a recipe sometimes fail?

You’re not the only one whose pavlova occasionally collapses. According to Alton Brown, host of Good Eats, thirty percent of all recipes that are made fail.

Why is that? The reason is fairly obvious, but recipes aren’t read carefully enough; they’re quickly scanned and then turned into a shopping list. Brown’s magic tip? Read the recipe carefully, step by step, and check off the steps as you go through them—and if necessary, grab a highlighter. It’s as easy as pie.

Sources:

Alton Brown, The Guardian